Category Archives for Things to Die for

When going into a tackle store, you might find yourself overwhelmed with the amount of possibilities at hand. Choosing the right gear, especially if you are new to this wonderful sport, can be difficult, and when you lack the basic gear knowledge, can end up in a hand-full of wasted money and time.

My first piece of advice for you is to take your time and do some research on the general components of the fishing equipment. You need to understand what the rod and the reel are, what types of lures and baits you can find in stores or in nature, and most of all, you have to think about what exactly you are planning to fish for.

Assuming you already know that a rod is the modern fishing pole that has a butt cap at the base and ends up with the tip top, has a reel seat and guides through which the line is guided towards the tip top, let us talk about the other main characteristics of a fishing rod. Two features that are often confused are the power and action of a fishing rod. What you have to remember is that the power regards the resistance of the rod to the inflexure produced by something pulling the line. The more power in a rod, the less it will bend, and the tougher the fish you can catch with it. Therefore, unless you intend to catch a wounded baby bass, you will have to consider a rod of at least medium power. The action of the rod tells you about where it bends. Extra-fast and fast action mean the rod will bend closer to the tip, while a moderate and slow action mean that it will bend on a lower point of the blank. The action of the rod will help you hook the fish: it is about sensitivity, the cast and how fast you can have your hookset. Different actions will transfer the pressure differently to the blank. You should always choose your rod action based on the lure you are going to use. Slow action rods work well for light baits and treble or multi hooks such as crankbaits or jerkbaits, while a fast action will help you cast heavier lures, spinnerbaits, topwater, and is generally used for stronger fish.

The taper is usually left out of most fishing rod guides, but it is very important, in my opinion. It tells you how fast does the diameter of the blank increase from the tip to the end of the blank. A fast taper means the rod has more backbone and the change is quicker, while a slow taper will give you a long increase. Thickness translates to power, so for a big fish like the bass, you should get a fast taper rod.

The bass is a big fish who fight a long time before giving up. You should buy a rod that has sufficient power for that and which you will feel comfortable with when pulling and bending. Consider a nice grip handle and a soft but firm butt cap, as you will want to uphold your rod on your body for more control.

Getting the latest information on tornadoes that are heading towards your home is essential for planning ahead of time. Since today many organizations and companies create special apps for mobile devices to help people stay alert on such dangerous events, it is highly recommended to have one or more installed on your phone. Make sure your phone is properly charged before the tornado hits, and you may be able to follow the weather evolution even when electricity is down.

The app from NOAA

NOAA is the most important organization in charge of delivering the latest information regarding the evolution of tornadoes, hurricanes and other weather events capable of jeopardizing your life and your loved ones’ lives. A special app was developed for this organization and it is called the NOAA Weather Radio app. While it is highly advisable to have a proper weather radio in your home, it does not hurt to have an app installed on your smartphone, as well.

Red Cross app

Another organization involved in managing the effects of tornadoes is the American Red Cross. While the NOAA Weather Radio app is useful for learning the latest information on tornadoes coming your way or in progress, the Red Cross app is very helpful in teaching you how to keep safe and how to offer those around you the much needed aid, given the circumstances. A piece of useful information offered by this app is how to handle the consequences of a tornado, like lack of electricity and flooding. Reaching for Red Cross shelters is highly recommended, after such an event.

Local apps

Check to see if your local weather channels have their own apps. They are particularly useful, because they will offer you information applicable to your area in particular, so you can easily connect with other people in your neighborhood or close by.

A weather Radio

A weather radio can save your time by offering great on-time news. There are multiple features you can use but make sure you spend your money wisely and read a buying guide before purchasing anything. It might be critical.

The Rocky Mountains are a mountain range that stretches on more than 4 800 miles from the British Columbia, Canada to New Mexico, United States. Its highest peak is Mount Elbert, with a 4 399 m height, located in the state of Colorado. Given their length, you can imagine there are a thousand places you could go camping and hiking, but, that is precisely the issue, it is hard to pick one place to visit in the Rocky Mountains. You can wander aimlessly, discovering new sights by yourself, but that is not recommended for inexperienced amateurs. So which are the best spots for camping?

You should probably start with the Colorado National Park, where you can admire many wild animal species such as elk, deer, bighorn sheep and many rare species of birds. You can only visit it in spring and summer, as it is usually closes during autumn and winter due to meteorological conditions.

Another spot you shouldn’t miss is The Mesa Verde National Park, the home of the Ancestral Puebloans, located in the Montezuma County, Colorado. It is one of the most valuable archeological sites in the US and it will provide you with an amazing history lesson about the civilization inhabiting these places a long time ago and the mysterious conditions in which it disappeared. Today, you can visit the site and admire the well-preserved ruins. If you want to find out more about this civilization, you can visit the Chapin Mesa museum located nearby.

One of the most impressive and largest trailing parks in the Rocky Mountains is the Timber Creek Campground. There are 98 camping sites for tents and RV’s equally. You don’t need a reservation when coming here, as the camping spots are given following the first-come, first-served rule. From the campsite you can choose one of the many hiking trails that will take you in picturesque areas of the mountains. In the evening, you can light a campfire on the metal fire grates provided by the camp administration. The park is located as a 34 mile distance from the Grand Lake, so you can hop in your truck or RV and take a detour before the end of your weekend trip.

The Yellowstone National Park is the oldest and one of the most sensational natural parks in the world. However, though it may not entirely fall in the best camping places in the Rocky Mountains category, the park lies on a plateau surrounded by them. With its endless trails, natural variety of species, geological wonderment and its 300 geysers, the Yellowstone National Park is a place you will never be able to forget and you’ll want to visit at least once more. Most people come here for the great variety of hiking trails which can take hikers a couple of hours walk to cover or can become a few days exploring adventure. There are a total of 12 campgrounds inside the Yellowstone Park, its huge accommodation possibilities allow you to camp here without prior reservation. However, as their website alerts, don’t take selfies near animals, because they can become restless and dangerous.

It’s almost summer! And along with the sun comes the scorching heat. So what does this mean? Yes, you’re right. Frozen desserts will be available everywhere. Two of the most popular desserts are the ice cream and frozen yogurt. But, what are the differences between them regardless of the fact that everyone want them to be thick, creamy, and yummy?Of course, there is a lot of difference between the two. Ice creams are considered to be a big NO for the health and frozen yogurt is good for you if you are fond of a healthy diet.
So, let us dig deeper and know the real scoop behind ice cream and frozen yogurt:

Being the health conscious, you are, would like to know the amount of calories in each serving. Well, a cup of vanilla ice cream contains about 275 calories, while a cup of frozen yogurt contains only 221 calories. It is not much of a difference between frozen yogurt and ice cream. However, that is vanilla ice cream. You must carefully examine the calorie content of other flavors. There can be more than just 275 calories in every cup of ice cream.
•Yogurt is known for its bacterial cultures. However, that is yogurt. Frozen yogurt is different. The freezing process of yogurt may kill the active bacteria good for digestion. So, subtract the other health benefits you get from the frozen yogurt. However, it does not mean that all frozen yogurts lack in bacterial cultures that can’t live up to the freezing point. Some brands add the live bacterial cultures after the freezing process to preserve the health benefits of yogurt.
Low-fat and fat-free frozen yogurts have more sugar compared to the regular ones. Other additives are added to make them taste sweet. Enjoy your frozen yogurt, but do not order big scoops plus all the tempting toppings (which are basically unhealthy). If you want to buy a yogurt maker I suggest checking out the products recommended by bestyogurtmaker.org.

Finally
So if you want to have a taste of the frozen desserts this summer and keep your diet in check, go for a few scoops of frozen yogurt with just a few sprinkles of nuts. Also, check for the active bacterial content of the yogurt on the ingredients sticker.

Looking for a reliable geyser pump is a struggle. Many fail to provide the power required to suck out the water while others just hum around without pumping out any water. When I needed to empty a twenty-foot pit, I was desperately looking for something that delivered power and reliability. I came across the Simer 2305-04 Geyser II.

Specifications

It is made up of thermoplastic, which meant that rusting over a period would not be a problem. The geyser comes with a garden hose adapter, which meant that I could move the water where I wanted to and would not have to depend on water being discharged to a single place. Simer also claims that the geyser is loaded with a pumping capacity of over 1,000 gallons per hour and their 6-amp motor promises to deliver efficiency. I ordered the Simer 2305-04 Geyser II and it arrived at my doorstep a few days later.

Assembly

I must admit I was surprised at the size of the geyser when it arrived. For a geyser that claimed to deliver phenomenal power, the size was small. Although this was an advantage as it made the geyser light and portable, the real question was the efficiency. I connected the geyser to an extension at the garage outlet and immediately put it to work in the twenty-foot pit. This pit was filled with rainwater, leaves, and mud at the bottom. I attached the garden hose adapter, which was easy to do. All I had to do was screw it on. I then attached my 25 feet garden hose at the end of it and pointed the water to the direction I wanted it to go to.

Efficiency

Once the geyser started pumping water, I was pleasantly surprised. All it took was a few seconds to fill with water and the water started pumping out like a faucet on full blast. The geyser ran for over 18 hours and emptied the pit to the point that it was dry. All that was left in there were few wet leaves and muck. This was an amazing output for a geyser this size. Next, I tried to empty a puddle in my garage. The guys from this great website helped with their advice. The puddle was only about a foot deep. The geyser just kept humming without emptying any water. That is when I realized that the geyser had to be charged, which means that it had to fill with water in order to pump out water. I submerged the geyser in a bucket until it was ‘charged’, and put it back in the puddle. Lo and behold, the water started pumping out similarly to the pit. Do remember to submerge the geyser in a bucket of water for it to fill before trying it in shallow places.

Summary

Overall, I was very surprised and impressed by this tiny little monster. The Simer 2305-04 Geyser II packs a punch like no other geyser in the market. Definitely, a worthy investment to get rid of all your waterlogging issues.

For people living alone or just with one other person, a 2 slice toaster may sound like the perfect idea. However, if you have a larger family, and more than one kid, you will really have to deal with a lot of ruckus first thing in the morning, when everyone waits for their toast to be ready. If you are in such a situation, my recommendation is to do what I did: ditch your old 2 slice toaster and get one with 4 slots. Guaranteed, your life will become much easier.

Time saved

I may not have to state the obvious, but here it is: if you get a 4 slice toaster, you will save a lot of time. Now you will no longer have to go back and forth and prepare the toasted bread while everyone is waiting. With 4 slices ready at the same time, all the family members are happy and so are you.

Energy saved

I am not talking only about your energy, but the electrical bill that comes every month with the same determination. It takes just the same energy to toast 2 slices as it does 4, so why not save a little by getting a 4 slice toaster? It is a simple solution that you might enjoy right away.

Great styles available

You do not have to worry that your new toaster won’t look good in your kitchen. There are so many great looking 4 slice toasters available right now, that the only difficulty you will encounter will be that you may not know how to settle for only one.

For any time you’re in a hurry

For a family with kids, or simply with a big eater at the table, when you are in a hurry, a 4 slice toaster can prove to be a lifesaver. For all these reasons, I simply recommend getting this kind of toaster.

Today we consider vacuum cleaners nothing more but a means to clean the house and we cannot possibly imagine how difficult things used to be in the past when such inventions were not in use. The man behind this very useful home appliance was called James M. Spangler; this man used to work as a janitor and as a salesman, to later become the inventor of the electric broom, or, as we call it, the vacuum cleaner.

The first vacuum cleaner in existence

Spangler suffered from severe asthma and he could not stand dust, although he had to work in an environment that was filled with it. As he observed the way a rotary sweeper worked, he thought of how to turn the device into something that could clean floors and carpets. Putting together different components, he created what should be known as the first vacuum cleaner in existence. He took his invention to work and started cleaning the Folwell Building. When his asthma became less of a problem, he must have known that he had finally found a solution to quite an old problem.

From proof of concept to patent

As a simple janitor, Spangler didn’t have the means to turn his new invention into a gadget that could be mass produced. At first, he received some financial aid to patent his invention, but while he got half a million to bring his concept to life, the money was not enough to support such a great endeavor.

The patent was bought by William Hoover (his cousin’s husband) in 1908, and the production of the electric broom finally began.

At first, people did not seem so enthusiastic about using the new gadget, but Hoover came with the idea to offer a ten day free trial and to start selling electric brooms from door to door, a model that was to be embraced by many other companies later on.

If you are in agreement with the above sentence, then you are not alone. Many people enjoy this simple Mexican dish and consume it almost every day, be it in restaurants or at home. I personally prefer making my own quesadillas, because I can be completely in charge of what goes into each recipe and I also have my very own preferences. I discovered that I can even save a bit of money while making quesadillas at home, and what really saved me was getting a good and reliable quesadilla maker. It is true that I searched high and low for a unit to really serve me, since I like having quesadillas every day, but luckily, I found this site: Kingquesadilla.com, that helped me with a lot of information on quesadilla makers and the best products that can be found on the market right now.

What is a quesadilla anyway?

No matter how great it tastes, a quesadilla is not some kind of magic food (although you may feel tempted, just like me, to consider it so). In brief, a quesadilla is made of a wheat or corn tortilla filled with various tasty ingredients, and, in most cases cheese. You simply fold the tortilla and catch the ingredients inside, then serve it with your own hand. Yummy!

The versatility of quesadillas

The best part that I truly enjoy about quesadillas is that they are so versatile. Are you a vegan? You can always have a quesadilla guilty free. Do you prefer sweet stuff over savory ingredients? Create your own quesadilla recipe and stuff your tortilla with everything you want. As long as the ingredients combine well, you will have a tasty dish that is healthier than what you can have in a fast food restaurant, where too much sugar, salt and preservatives are used.

Ingredients preferred in the US

Although quesadilla is more popular in the southwest regions of the US, everyone loves this Mexican dish, as much as they enjoy their grilled cheese sandwich. Certain combinations are more popular here, but, as mentioned above, you can get really creative when it comes to filling your quesadilla. The way classic quesadilla is made in the southwest area of the country goes like this: a tortilla is taken and grilled on a grill, then you grate cheese over its surface; you wait for the cheese to melt, and after that, you add shredded meat – turkey is a recommended choice – , onions, peppers, guacamole, not necessarily all at once. After that, you just fold the tortilla and you enjoy it.